FBI arrests teacher on child porn charges

STARKSBORO - Will Parini, a 28-year-old music teacher, who divided his teaching time between Bristol Elementary School and Robinson Elementary School, has been arrested by the FBI on federal child pornography charges.

According to an FBI affidavit, Parini - using the pseudonym "Bill Monday" - had been communicating with a 12-year-old boy in San Antonio, Texas who he met on a Russian Web site. The unidentified boy sent pornographic images of himself and other children to 44 people, including Parini. Federal authorities have described the images as "horrific."

FBI agents searched Parini's Starksboro home on March 10 and seized a laptop computer. Parini insisted that no child pornography would be found, but he ended the interview and requested a lawyer when asked about the "Bill Monday" account.

The news was a shock to the students and staff at both schools, as well as to the broader community. Parini's attorney, Peter Langrock, has assured school officials that there is no link to any local children, but Assistant Attorney Christina Nolan, who is prosecuting the case, expressed concern that Magistrate Judge John Conroy's decision to release Parini could be dangerous to the children of Addison County.

"There is a grave danger that Parini will reach for them rather than his mouse to satisfy his sexual desire. This is a risk that society simply cannot afford," she wrote in a motion for detention.

Parini lives in Starksboro, about a quarter of a mile from Robinson Elementary School.

Judge Conroy did establish strict constraints on Parini as a condition of his release. He is currently under home detention and must wear an electronic monitoring device. Any contact with children under the age of 18 must be approved by probation officials, and he is forbidden to use a computer without supervision by his wife or another responsible adult.

Parini is the son of Middlebury College professor Jay Parini. He has been employed by Addison Northeast Supervisory Union for two years and has been a popular teacher among his students. He also gives private guitar lessons and plays in a local band.

Among the schools' responses to the arrest was a letter to parents from Robinson's Principal Dan Noel and Bristol's principal Catrina DiNaploli. The letter was dated March 18 and read, in part:

"Yesterday, in United States District Court, Robinson and Bristol music teacher Will Parini was charged with the possession and distribution of child pornography. At this point in the investigation there is no evidence that supports that any of the children in our community were involved in any way. As of March 18th, 2011, Mr. Parini has been suspended from his employment and will not work in the district pending resolution of this case (as of right now there has been no plea, trial or verdict). As always, the safety of students is our most important concern."

The letter went on to say that parents are their own child's best mentor and that they should be the ones to decide if and how much information to share with their children.

"This is a very, very difficult time. This is when we as a community must come together to support our children," they wrote.

The school community expressed shock. When asked about the allegations and arrest of Parini, Peg Pifer, the mother of a sixth-grade student at Robinson Elementary, said she had spoken to her son that day.

"I told him that the FBI was investigating him (Parini) for child pornography. He thought the FBI being involved was pretty serious. The first reaction was 'Oh, wow, the parents will be mad.'"

"The kids really liked him and he inspired many of them to be interested in music," continued Pifer. "It was just shocking that there's this other side. Nobody would've ever known."